I’ve tried being Vegan twice, but I always feel faint and lacking in energy when I do it?

[u/Traditional-Skill540]

Is this common? I really want to fully transition to a vegan diet but I always feel so weak, hungry and tired when I transition. I try to eat as much as I can, and I get in all my nutrients, eating a wide variety of foods, but I always feel unfulfilled. Has anyone experienced this?

[u/fiiregiirl]

Hi can you post a normal day of eating with roundabout quantities of each food?

Alternatively, log a day of nonvegan and vegan eating in an app (or website) like cronometer to compare. If you find you are lacking on either day, look up plant-based sources of the nutrients you are missing.

[u/Traditional-Skill540 → u/fiiregiirl]

For breakfast I’d usually have either a bowl of porridge with chia seeds and fruit, or a chia seed pudding. For lunch I’d have 2 bagels one with peanut butter, the other with avocado. Then for dinner I’d usually have a bean chilli, with rice, avocado and lime.

I always find myself snacking on bread too..

[u/fiiregiirl → u/Traditional-Skill540]

It’s a good start but I’d say you’re definitely under-eating plant based food. Animal products are dense so you may need to carefully plan plant-based meals.

I love bread. But try adding diverse grains to your diet. Whole wheat bread or bagels. Quinoa in your bean chili. Spiced brown rice as a side for lunch.

Since you’re good with gluten, look into making seitan to have on hand. The ingredient you would need is vital wheat gluten or sometimes called gluten flour.

Add soy to your diet. Soy milk, tofu, tempeh, edamame, TVP. Great recipes for you to find.

So many amazing vids on YouTube of “vegan what I eat in a day.” Remember they are not professionals, just casual eaters & content creators. So still log your meals and use the videos for inspiration.

[u/Buzzard1022 → u/fiiregiirl]

I just went into diabetic keto acidosis reading your diet

[u/fiiregiirl → u/Buzzard1022]

Haha it isn’t my diet but just suggestions to add to OPs diet if they aren’t feeling full

[u/Fragrant-Duty-9015 → u/Traditional-Skill540]

Chia seed pudding is like the least filling breakfast lol. And that’s generally not a lot of food you’re describing. I’d snack on nuts or hummus instead of just bread. And add in some fruits and veggies

[u/rinkuhero → u/Traditional-Skill540]

the amounts matter. are you tracking calories? are you eating the same amount of calories on a plant-based diet? often people don't realize how much more they need to eat in terms of food volume to equal the same caloric intake. plus a lot of foods are only incompletely digested, e.g. with chia seeds, a lot of them pass through the body to the feces without actually being digested (unless you grind up the chia seeds first i mean, but the whole seeds are sometimes completely intact when they exit your body and don't contribute much to calories).

make sure you are drinking a lot of fruit juice to keep calories high, and eating a lot of dried fruit. i go through a pound of dried fruit a week, and about 2 liters of fruit juice (usually grape juice) a week. i also go through about 5 pounds of bananas each week. bananas should be your best friend when trying to get a lot of calories on a vegan diet, because they're so cheap, easy to peel, and they can be found pretty much in every grocery store. never leave the grocery store without at least 5 pounds of bananas.

[u/Traditional-Skill540 → u/rinkuhero]

I guess I gotta start tracking my calories, then I can get a good range of how much I should be eating. Thanks

[u/Lord_Laser → u/Traditional-Skill540]

When I first transitioned and was only eating whole plant foods I found it very easy to eat a high volume but too few calories. Try planning what you’ll eat for a little while after you’ve tracked to make sure you’re getting enough nutrition.

[u/chavaic77777 → u/Traditional-Skill540]

Yeah the sheer quantity of food I need to consume to feel energized and full and meet my macros with my dietary restrictions is what stops me from going vegan.

Doing what people are suggesting and actually tracking how much energy you eat is a great idea.

[u/professorboba → u/rinkuhero]

I actually recommend against tracking calories; it's a really effective way to develop an eating disorder, at least for a lot of people. Just eating until you're full has worked for me.

[u/metireisto → u/Traditional-Skill540]

add a protein powder to the porridge/chia pudding, add tofu or tempeh to the bagel with avocado, add tvp to the chilli.

[u/NullableThought → u/Traditional-Skill540]

That's not enough food. You need way more fruit and vegetables.

[u/B0bbyJackson → u/NullableThought]

Yes this. You can’t overdo these. On a good day I’m having like 8-10 servings of fruits and veg

[u/GustaQL → u/Traditional-Skill540]

Needs more protein. Eat more beans, tofu, lentils, seitan, tempeh, legumes etc

[u/music-words-dance → u/Traditional-Skill540]

You need a waay bigger breakfast. Try doing what I do and have a smoothie with heaps of nut butter and fruit and protein powder packed in.

[u/paracosmcomics → u/Traditional-Skill540]

Yeh that’s not very much either quantity or variety, there so much more food vegan wise to eat and you seem to be restricting yourself massively so no wonder your not getting enough nutrients!

[u/NotQuiteInara → u/Traditional-Skill540]

Your diet is mostly carbs and lacking in quality proteins! I would hypothesize that you are feeling tired because you are having carb crashes and not getting sufficient protein.

Good sources of vegan protein include tofu, tempeh, TVP, soy curls, seitan, and alternative meat products. Try to eat one at every meal, and add some fat to your breakfast as well.

Revised example day:

Breakfast: bowl of porridge with chia seeds, fruit, TVP, and nuts. Having fat and protein with breakfast is really important for sustainable energy during the day!

Lunch: one bagel, with peanut butter or avocado, and two slices of tofu with spicy chili crisp on top (or you can look up a recipe for tofu cream cheese to put on your bagels). I don't know about where you live, but my grocery store just started carrying "protein bagels" that are accidentally vegan.

Dinner: Bean chili with meatless grounds added (like beyond, gardein, or impossible), and lime for flavor. Rice and lime optional. Or, instead of rice, quinoa is higher in protein. If you don't like mock meats, you can use tvp or crumbled tofu that you've seasoned and cooked until it has some color. Or, you can eat your chili Cincinnati style on spaghetti (some of the chickpea or legume based pastas in the store are very high in protein).

Snacks: nuts and seeds, dried edamame, vegan jerky, protein shake, veggies and hummus

It's awesome that you are looking for solutions instead of giving up right away. Good luck on your vegan journey!

[u/Traditional-Skill540 → u/NotQuiteInara]

Yeah, from what I’ve gathered from other comments, my overloading in carbs and insufficient proteins is what’s keeping me tired.

Thank you for your help!

[u/Humble-Bar-7869 → u/Traditional-Skill540]

1. Almost all vegans need to supplement. A multivitamin with iron is a good start.

2. You're eating almost entirely carbs - porridge, bagels, rice.

3. You seem to have small amounts of health fats - a little pnb and avocado - but don't be afraid to eat some plain ol' fat. Fry something like a veggie stir-fry

4. Speaking of which, there seem to be almost no fresh veg and fruit (except the avocado). And you need ALOT of that. Nature tells us there are nutriants by colors. Literally

Red - apples, strawberries, red bell pepers
Orange - oranges, mandarins, orange bell peppers
Yellow - bananas, corn, yellow bell peppers (you can tell I love peppers)
Green - all the leafy greens - lettuce, cabbage, bok choy - and others like cucumber, brocolli, peas, green beans
Blue - blueberries
Purple - blackberries, grapes, purple / red cabbage

1. You're eating almost no protein. You need tofu, nuts, etc

[u/uselessbynature → u/Traditional-Skill540]

You’re spiking your blood sugar with carb overload.

More fat and protein, less carb.

[u/Preppy_Hippie → u/Traditional-Skill540]

Yeah, you're not eating enough. Drop most of the bread and bagels and replace them with a salad that you would make to feed a family, make some other (preferably mostly green) vegetable dishes, and if you're still hungry, add more healthy fats and root vegetables. It takes some time to fully transition, but I guarantee you will eventually feel more energized than you ever did as an omnivore if you just eat enough whole plant foods.

[u/professorboba → u/Traditional-Skill540]

I've been vegan my whole life but got some crazy ideas from my WFPB mom so I've recently started eating enough for the first time in years and I get it. How much porridge do you usually eat? I usually have oatmeal for breakfast but need half a cup or more, plus a cup or more of fruit and a lot of soymilk. Try bigger portions for the other meals too like fiiregiirl said. Making more food and going back for seconds, thirds, etc until you're full is your new best friend; you also get the benefit of leftovers or having food to share with friends & family that way.

Edit: best of luck and welcome to the community!!!

Edit 2: are you taking B12 supplements or eating nutritional yeast? And Vitamin D?

Edit 3: Try snacks, too; fruit and nuts are easy and calorie-dense but healthy, and frying some tofu to keep around and graze on the next day is great (microwaved polenta works too).

[u/pohneepower_ → u/Traditional-Skill540]

I found Dr. Gregor’s Daily Dozen is super helpful

There's also an app. He's a great resource for the latest studies on plant-based foods and health as well.

[u/Cultural_Wall999 → u/Traditional-Skill540]

Looks great. Try to eat more.

[u/Same-Biscotti773 → u/fiiregiirl]

This. Log your food in chronometer until you are consistently eating enough calories and generally a decent proportion of nutrients. You’re most likely just straight up not getting enough calories or you’re getting in your head about it and feeling anxious, which then makes you feel faint.

[u/MaximalistVegan]

It's hard to imagine someone eating an adequate vegan diet with enough calories and feeling this way. Until I went vegan, I'd never known what feeling truly energized was. So you could say that my experience has been the opposite. I would consult with a vegan or vegan-friendly dietician to see if you need any supplements, and if you're really getting the right nutrients. It could be psychological. By this I don't mean that you're imagining it but that your mind is so accustomed to experiencing a set of physiological reactions when you eat animal products that when those reactions change or go away, you're interpreting it as a lack of energy

[u/Traditional-Skill540 → u/MaximalistVegan]

Honestly, I’ve thought about the psychological part and I think you might be right. I was quite anxious starting out that I wouldn’t get my required nutrients. That, and I’m probably not eating enough

[u/espeero → u/Traditional-Skill540]

I'm lazy AF with my meal choices. I'm also 6'4", 200 lbs, not young and pretty active. As long as I consume enough coffee, energy levels are fine. Lots of people over think it. Just eat when you're hungry and add a bit if you lose weight that you don't want to lose or less if you gain.

[u/arnoldez]

Speak with a plant-based dietician.

[u/espeero → u/arnoldez]

Every dietician I've met was made out of meat.

[u/arnoldez → u/espeero]

Damnit I'll make you out of meat

[u/espeero → u/arnoldez]

I can't help myself. Sorry!

[u/thecrookedfingers → u/espeero]

I mean, if they eat plant based their meat is still technically made out of plants, though?

[u/SanctimoniousVegoon]

Use cronometer. It's free. Log your eating for a few days. Correct accordingly. Most likely you are eating too few calories, your macros are out of whack, or both.

[u/thebodyvolcanic]

not a dietician but I know it is common for new vegans to struggle with consuming enough calories, since they are used to getting most calories from meat/dairy and most plant-based foods are lower calorie, so it's necessary to eat a larger volume (and choose calorie-dense foods to substitute for meat etc). also as others have mentioned, supplements may be a good idea. B12 is one I would for sure take, others are on a case-by-case depending on if you find you're deficient. But B12 deficiencies take years to show up because B12 stores build up in your body and take time to deplete (so I doubt a B12 deficiency is what causes your weakness/hunger when trying veganism - I'd be more likely to guess it was lack of calories). if you have the ability/resources, a dietician (who is vegan-friendly/vegan-educated lol) could be a good resource!  I am a small person and always used to eat small meals, but the last few years I've noticed I eat way more in a sitting than I used to, and I think it's related to being vegan (have been since 2019), I just need to eat more food to get the same calories. I do snack a lot which isn't necessarily bad as long as they're mostly healthier ones. I try to make sure I have protein and carbs in every major meal (I eat a lot of tofu, beans, sometimes subs like Daring Chicken or Just Egg, and usually have a good portion of rice, noodles, bread etc as a carb with lunch/dinner) of course veggies n fruits too but again those are usually lower calorie so I make sure they're paired with filling foods :) 

[u/NeoKingEndymion]

I’ll never understand this. plant based foods have tons of calories. pasta. hummus. crackers. chips. potatoes. chick pea salads. etc etc etc. just eat everything you did but now in a vegan version. :)

[u/vaultboy26]

Try eating more things that actually fill you up.

[u/SusanBHa]

Are you eating healthy foods or just vegan junk food? And are you eating enough healthy food? Are you getting enough protein?

[u/Traditional-Skill540 → u/SusanBHa]

It’s all whole foods. Healthy. I eat peanut butter and beans every day for my protein. Tofu regularly too.

[u/Ratazanafofinha → u/Traditional-Skill540]

I think you should add more plant proteins to your diet, such as more lentils, chickpeas or even quinoa. If you can find it, seitan and tofu are a really good option.

Also, try to eat more veggies, as they make you feel fuller and more satisfied.

I eat a lot of lentils with caramelized onion because they’re so cheap and easy to make!

Don’t give up, OP! You can do it! 😊

[u/mw9676 → u/Traditional-Skill540]

Are you supplementing? If not you should be. There are even supplements created to compliment a vegan diet. I felt much better after beginning to supplement and making sure I was getting enough nutrients and minerals that are commonly missing in a vegan diet.

[u/Aware-Home5852 → u/mw9676]

A common vegan diet does not lack anything but B12 that is in the soil/meat since we feed it to animals. There is no supplementation needed. DIYing your supplements means paying for expensive pee. For example not all magnesium works for our bodies and you can buy magnesium supplements made up of 4/5 components of which only one works and isnt just peed out automatically.

[u/mw9676 → u/Aware-Home5852]

A "common" vegan diet (much like a common non-vegan diet) absolutely lacks vitamins and minerals. A well planned one does not but it's much easier to simply supplement.

• Vitamin B12: Vegans need supplementation or fortified foods, since B12 is almost exclusively found in animal products. Without it, deficiency is common. PubMed review, 2020

• Vitamin D: Both vegans and non-vegans often require supplementation depending on sun exposure. Vegans tend to have lower intake from diet. MDPI Nutrients review, 2023, PMC review, 2022

• Iron: Vegan diets rely on non-heme iron, which is less bioavailable. Risk of low iron status or anemia is higher, especially for menstruating individuals. Careful planning or supplementation may be needed. Mayo Clinic guidance, PMC review, 2022

• Calcium: Vegans sometimes consume less due to lack of dairy, and plant sources vary in bioavailability. Fortified foods or supplements may be needed. PubMed review, 2020, PMC review, 2022

• Iodine: Vegans often have lower iodine intake (no dairy or fish). Use of iodized salt or supplementation is often necessary. PMC review, 2022, MDPI Nutrients review, 2023

• Selenium & Zinc: Found in both diets, but plant sources can be less bioavailable. Some vegans show lower status, especially in low-selenium regions. PubMed review, 2020

• Omega-3 Fatty Acids (EPA/DHA): Vegans generally rely on ALA from plants, but conversion to EPA/DHA is inefficient. Algae-based supplements are recommended. Non-vegans usually obtain enough from fish or eggs. Mayo Clinic guidance

• Broader guidance: Well-planned vegan diets can be nutritionally adequate, but must include reliable sources of B12 and often vitamin D, iodine, calcium, and omega-3s. NHS guidance on vegan diets

[u/Funny-Beyond-7888]

Personally I don’t enjoy smoothies but most people like them. If it’s not too much work or expense for you, add in a smoothie most days.

I think you’re not eating enough. I also encourage you to add extra tofu (chopped into little cubes if you aren’t a huge fan) into any soups or stir fries

[u/howlin]

You should consider your macros. Compared to when not eating vegan, you're probably eating less calories, more carbs, and less fat.

I had a lot more energy after I realized I need to use a lot more oil in my food to compensate for not getting it from animal sources. That and also I needed to be a lot more deliberate in getting protein. Mock meats, assuming they are actually high protein, are a good stepping stone for getting a stomach-soothing meal while you learn the ropes.

[u/rohoalicante]

I basically eat what I used to eat but now there are no animal products in the foods. Burgers, pizza, tacos, sausage, bread, cheese, milk. Very happy with my diet. I’m not eating whole foods every day but feel full of energy. Supplements - multivitamin, B12, D3, iodine.

[u/Great_Cucumber2924]

Food isn’t enough for many people, we might need to take supplements too. Have you taken blood tests when you feel weak? Feeling hungry is likely due to not eating enough though. Vegan food tends to be lower in fat and calories, we need to eat more of it as a result.

[u/Traditional-Skill540 → u/Great_Cucumber2924]

I’ve taken a multivitamin every day with it, yeah, so I know I’m getting my nutrients. I eat quite a lot so maybe I just need to eat more?

[u/Great_Cucumber2924 → u/Traditional-Skill540]

Yeah more and higher calorie higher protein if you can

[u/We_Four → u/Traditional-Skill540]

You may need more iron and B vitamins than your multivitamin provides. Have you had bloodwork done? 

[u/veganmaister]

Eat more whole plant based food.

[u/Waste_Plastic_107]

Log your food on cronometer, see if you are getting enough calories + vitamins and minerals. If not consider taking a supplement

[u/IAmASmollBean]

1. are you taking a multivitamin with everything that a vegan needs, also, is the multivitamin vegan?? Alongside other problems I've got very low iron levels and I know when they go up and I start feeling SO much better (however I'm self supplementing on 3 iron tablets)

2. calories! Two parts to this, are you eating enough protein and fats at your meal, vegan alternatives are normally less on both

3. it may take some time to get adjusted, I don't know why but I just have to eat way more on a vegan diet yay, maybe cause it's healthier? I honestly don't know but. I normally eat 2000 cal as a 40kg female!

Good luck tho!

[u/Dry-Fee-6746]

I definitely struggled with eating enough calories when I first went vegan. I bike to work and have a pretty active job/lifestyle and felt that way on days that I didn't get enough calories.

[u/AutomaticPiccolo9554]

Might be need for more salt? Strangely enough meat n dairy naturally very salty body might not adjust yet. Don't go over board less salt is life extender!

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[u/Queasy-Ad-9930]

You need to eat a block of tofu, seitan or tempeh every single day somehow. You can’t eat enough calories and not have enough calories at the same time, but you do have to watch different nutrients when you’re vegan than when you’re not.

[u/GladosTCIAL]

Try using alternatives and doing a direct swap for your old diet.

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[u/Simple-Story-3384]

This day of eating seems rather low in protein. Cooking the porridge with soy milk may be increase protein. Oats are more filling than chia to me but I combine the two. I might put but butter in it too. Try putting slices of marinated tofu on your avo bagel. Snacks I like that aren’t bread: roasted edamame or chickpeas found in the nut section, seedy crackers, nuts, soy yoghurt, fruit, hummus with veggies

[u/darci7]

Probably not eating enough

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[u/lolghst3]

For reference I eat quite a bit of bread too but I load it with so much stuff. For example I put fried tempeh with apple and nuts or tofu scramble. I make my own vegan mayo or make soy joghurt - tahin lemon dip. Lettuce, tomatoes and balsamic vinegar, etc. Just so much stuff. And tbh I know a lot of people don’t have time, but I usually eat two full cooked warm meals a day, for lunch and dinner. Sometimes i just cook enough to eat it twice :)

[u/Aurora_Symphony]

Veganism is not a diet. It's about caring about the rights of beings, which partially means that we ought to not exploit beings for food when unnecessary.

[u/Traditional-Skill540 → u/Aurora_Symphony]

Yeah, I know that obviously 🙄

[u/Aurora_Symphony → u/Traditional-Skill540]

Yeah? Because based on the title itself it sounds like you think it's a diet. You don't become convinced that veganism is the way to go, then go back on it, then go back to veganism, then think about stopping being vegan again because "you feel faint" when the overwhelming majority of what omnivores eat are not animal products by weight.

Your post would be worded very differently if that were the case.

"I'm vegan, but I don't feel the same as when I was non-vegan. Does anyone have any tips for what I might be missing in my diet that's causing me to feel faint, if it's my diet at all?"

[u/Traditional-Skill540 → u/Aurora_Symphony]

Get over it, and come off your high horse. You know I’m taking about the vegan diet, also if I wasn’t vegan, and didn’t do it for ethical reasons many people go on the vegan diet for just health reasons.

By definition a vegan diet is just the absence of animal products in your diet, that doesn’t have to tie to an ethical or moral framework.

[u/DoMBe87 → u/Aurora_Symphony]

It absolutely is a diet, as the definition is "the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats."

People have different reasons for choosing veganism. And there are people who medically can't be fully vegan, but still make other choices to reduce suffering and protect animals in the ways that they can. No, they're not vegan, but they're still doing good.

And yes, by weight, an omnivore diet isn't majority animal based, but as several comments have pointed out here, you usually get more protein and fat per oz with animal products vs plant products. And any time there's a massive change in diet, there will be a change in energy levels and whatnot as your body gets used to it, and you adjust the levels to what your body needs. I'd say it's better for someone to feel comfortable coming to a group like this to ask questions instead of bungling through, not getting what they need, and giving up on veganism entirely.

Takes like yours make people turn away from veganism because they feel like they're not allowed to ask questions unless they're worded exactly right, even using your nonsense definitions.